WQA to Develop Bottled Water Program

To help its members with bottled water opportunities and promote industry cooperation, the Water Quality Assn. (WQA) hired Barbara Marteney to develop its new bottled water program.

Marteney, with 17 years of in-depth experience in the bottled water and food industries, will help WQA support the bottled water industry through education, certification and consultative services. She will work as an independent contractor for WQA.

“We are pleased to help develop this nexus between the two industries, because bottled water has a crucial role to play in providing safe drinking water,” said Tom Palkon, WQA vice president and chief operating officer.

Many WQA members are already involved in the bottled water industry, and many bottlers are becoming increasingly interested in diversifying their business by providing water treatment as an option to their customers, Palkon noted.

Marteney brings extensive expertise, including her upcoming position as president of the Northeast Bottled Water Assn. (NEBWA) for 2014 and 2015. She previously served as treasurer and a director of NEBWA. She also has participated for many years on International Bottled Water Assn. committees.

“I am excited to build collaborative efforts with all of the bottled water associations as we all work together for the betterment of the entire industry,” Marteney said.